Alumni Program Overview

From Academy Year to Career

Beacon realized early on that our graduates were facing racism, isolation, and other obstacles to success in high school and college, despite the best intentions of the fine institutions that accept and fund our students. It was clear that more than a one-year commitment to our students was necessary. In order to battle what The Boston Globe’s 2019 Valedictorians Project calls a “cascade of social alienation, debt, family pressures, and academic anxieties that more affluent peers often sidestep with financial and other assistance from parents who can help guide the way,” Beacon developed our 10-Year Model. We now provide Secondary School, College, and Career Programs that guarantee support, guidance, and annual alumni gatherings which creates a community of achievement through high school, college, and beyond. Alumni are encouraged to drop in whenever they can to encourage and guide the new students and to share their stories with us. Our support for alumni includes:

Alumni Events

We host several gatherings for alumni, including a summer day trip to Martha’s Vineyard, a Homecoming celebration in the fall, a Holiday Party, and individual class gatherings in additional to our annual Beacon events like Symposium, Motown Night, and Graduation.

Care Packages and Visits

Twice each year volunteers assemble and send fun care packages to our high school and college age alumni. Beacon staff and volunteers often attend games and performances of alumni as well.

Advocacy

Despite the best intentions of the fine institutions that accept and fund our students, Beacon graduates encounter racism, isolation, and other obstacles to their success in high school and college. Beacon is committed to advocating for policy and procedural change at these schools. We do this by hosting an annual Symposium on Race and Class in Education and by visiting schools in person to discuss the challenges facing our students and other students like them.

9th Grade Transition Program

The transition from the Beacon year to the beginning of 9th grade is a dramatic one and our staff supports our 9th grade alumni in many ways – from advising on course selection to ensuring that boarding students have sheets and other necessities.

College Support Program

Beacon’s College Support Program complements the support offered by the high schools our alumni attend and helps alumni navigate the entire college process, from identifying and applying to colleges that are both academically and financially a good fit, to offering ACT/SAT and essay writing preparation classes, to helping alumni analyze the financial aid packages they receive.

Career Guidance and Mentoring

We assist alumni in securing internships that complement and enhance their academic experience, allowing them to explore their passions and develop their ideal path through college and beyond. The priority is to help students secure paying jobs and internships, or to provide the underwriting necessary to allow them to pursue an unpaid dream internship while still receiving a stipend.

Alumni at a networking event held by the Wellington Management Company, 2016